Fr. Josh answers questions about how to love and serve the homeless, how to handle discouragement when struggling with infertility, and how to come to terms with family members and friends turning away from God and leaving the Catholic Church.
Snippet from the Show
“If we only love Jesus in our private prayer but not in our neighbor, including the homeless, then we don’t truly love all of Jesus.“
Shownotes
Questions
How to Love the Homeless
Hi Father Josh,
I am so grateful to have found your podcast! I’m in RCIA now to become Catholic thanks to you and the other wonderful folks at Ascension. My life has been completely transformed since I started diving into Catholic teaching about 6 months ago. My question is this – As Catholics and disciples of Jesus, what should we do when we drive past a person or people experiencing homelessness on the side of the street? I can no longer just look the other way as I know that’s not what Jesus would do. But I also do not always feel safe stopping the car to get out, and I don’t even know what I would say or do if I did! I’m a female and usually have my young baby in the car with me. We live in Los Angeles and in some parts of the city we might see tens or hundreds of people living in poverty on the sidewalk on a single drive. My mom always taught me growing up not to give money to people experiencing homelessness lest they use it on drugs, and taught us to give to organizations instead. However, I’m not sure the money donated to organizations always makes it to the people who need it the most. Looking forward to hearing your insight on this, and I thank you for all that you do. Praying for you and all the other listeners of the podcast!
– Rachel
Struggling with Infertility
Hello Father Josh I enjoy your podcast very much and it has help me in picking up the bible and attending adoration I am forever grateful. My husband and I recently started our fertility journey because we have been unsuccessful for two years. I find myself discourage, sadness and alone sometimes because this process is not easy however, I do understand that God is not giving me something I can not handle. I was wondering if you have a prayer, scripture, or Saint in mind to help me through this process? I understand I have to be very patient in my fertility journey. It just seems so hard when everyone is trying to give you advice or say you are doing the wrong thing. I feel that if God did not want me to take this step he would hold hurdles but I do not feel that from Him. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this message. May God continue to bless you and provide you health so you can continue to guide us through this world.
-Cristina
Losing Members of the Body of Christ
Recently I have been wrestling with how to comes to terms with the fact that there are so many people in the world that turn away from God and may never turn back to Him. I have family members that are professed atheists (although they were baptized and raised Catholic), and I am very sorrowful that I might be separated from them forever (given the condition that I *hopefully* become a saint and they reject the love of God). I understand that ultimately their conversion of heart is not up to me, so I take some comfort in that their lack of reversion is not my responsibility or fault. My question is, how do I both accept and love the justice and unselfish love of God that does not and would not require my family members to return His love, while also accepting the tragedy and sadness of “losing” members of the Body of Christ, particularly those we know personally and care for deeply?
-Clarisse
Resources
- Submit your questions and feedback to Fr. Josh by filling out a form at www.ascensionpress.com/askfatherjosh
- Broken and Blessed by Fr. Josh Johnson
- Pocket Guide to Adoration by Fr. Josh Johnson
- Pocket Guide to Reconciliation by Fr. Josh Johnson & Fr. Mike Schmitz
- Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings.
Meet Fr. Josh Johnson
While Fr. Josh was raised Catholic, he didn’t like the Church growing up. Then, one day in adoration, he fell in love with Jesus and received the call to become a priest.
Now, Fr. Josh is the Vocations Director of the Diocese of Baton Rouge in Louisiana. He is a presenter in four of Ascension’s programs: Altaration, YOU: Life, Love, and the Theology of the Body, The 99, and Connected: Catholic Social Teaching for This Generation, as well as the author of Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation, Pocket Guide to Adoration, and co-author of Pocket Guide to Reconciliation.
